February 18: The police have arrested 40 people involved in vandalizing and looting Lotse Mall located at New Bus Park area in Balaju as well as for torching police vehicles on February 13.     

They were arrested on Friday evening on the charge of torching two police vans, vandalizing Lotse Mall and looting mobile sets during a protest launched by transport workers.     

The agitators had vandalized ACDC Mobile Pvt Ltd, Diamond Mobile Pvt Ltd, Kathmandu Supermarket Pvt Ltd and looted mobile sets, chargers, earphone as well as other accessories. They also set on fire police vehicles (Ba 2 Jha 144) and (Ba 1 Jha 7224) of Balaju Police Circle.     

Similarly, a temporary police post at Balaju Chowk was also torched by the protesters. Superintendent of Police Sitaram Rijal, who is the spokesperson for the District Police Office, Kathmandu, said 29 people were arrested on the charge of their involvement in arson and vandalism and 11 for their involvement in looting mobile sets. Investigations into the cases are currently underway.    

Other people involved in arson and vandalism have already been identified and they would be arrested soon, added SP Rijal.     

An unruly mass of people had vandalized Lotse Mall, looted mobile sets and set the police vehicles on fire during the protest launched jointly by the Nepal Transport Workers' Association, All Nepal Transport Workers' Association, and Nepal Transport Independent Workers' Organisation. -- RSS